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Germy Shopping Carts – Aloha Friday

Monday I got hit with a major sinus infection/flu bug combo. I pretty much slept the day away on Tuesday, a rarity for me and usually a sure sign that I’m actually sicker than a dog. Which, by the way, begs the question – how did that term ‘sicker than a dog’ come into play? And the other term ‘healthy as a horse’ – are horses healthier than dogs? Makes you wonder.

But I digress.

After sleeping the day away and feeling slightly better to where I could sort of squint at my too-bright computer screen and going over my list for my bi-monthly grocery shopping trip on Wednesday (that I was debating on putting off another day because of not feeling well), a headline on MSN caught my eye about shopping carts. I always knew that shopping carts were rife with germs, but a signs of E. Coli found on 50-percent of shopping carts? Scary.

When Princess Nagger was small enough to actually ride in the carts, I was semi-religious about bringing disinfectant wipes to wipe down the handles and seat to hopefully deter her from getting attacked by foreign germs. I didn’t do that 100% of the time (since remembering to bring the wipes with me into the store was hit-and-miss at best). Of the times I did forget, you could guarantee that two weeks later one or both of us would catch a cold. Pretty much par for the course, since cold germs pretty much take two weeks to ‘incubate’. Luckily I remembered more than I forgot about bringing wipes with me to keep the recurring cold mode down to a minimum.

Now that she’s in school and I get to do my marathon shopping solo (until summer where I’ll have to make sure I plan for an extra hour for her to peruse the toy section just for fun), I’ve been terrible at remembering to bring wipes to wipe down the handles of the cart to protect me. When I did my bi-monthly grocery shopping two weeks earlier, I cringed when I noticed that the handle of the cart I had grabbed was sticky. Gross. Yet I forgot to put wipes in my car, and then forgot all about the stickiness once the shopping trip was done. So when I got sick on Monday, I knew I pretty much did myself in.

I won’t be forgetting my disinfectant wipes in the future, you can bet on it. I hate being sick, especially when I have foggy brain syndrome and am even more of a klutz than normal. I don’t need that exacerbated by the foggy brain syndrome. So my question for you this week is:

Do you wipe down shopping cart handles when you shop?

In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So on Fridays let’s take it easy on posting, too. Ask a simple question…nothing that requires a lengthy response. It’s a great way to make new blogging friends!

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There are a lot of fabulous bloggers who are 40, so I’m participating in Follow Friday 40 and Over – please be sure to leave a link to your blog so I can come check out your site and follow you, too!

About Stacy (the Random Cool Chick)

After 20+ years in the Corporate World and years of infertility, Princess Nagger made her miraculous appearance and I chose to become a SAHM and WAHM - I love every minute of it. We added Little Dude through adoption, adding a whole new dimension to our family.
We have an eclectic mix of pets: dogs, cats, birds and fish. I love to cook and try new techniques to turn ordinary into extraordinary.
Crafty by nature, I take on a lot of unique projects and enjoy seeing the end result. My favorite, of course, is making my own wine out of fruits and grapes. Experiments with water currently underway.
I blog about the joys of parenting, family, friends, life, love and anything else that strikes my fancy. I do enjoy doing reviews and giveaways for products I use, believe in and can stand behind.

You know what that is? That’s Ireland as seen from space. Pretty cool, no? Ireland happens to be one of the places I have on my ‘bucket list’ of places I’d like to visit before I get old – my … Continue reading →

Since I’m a romantic at heart, I love Valentine’s Day. I’ve had to learn to compromise, however, since the hubby’s not really romantic and is not one to make a big deal out of holidays. Except birthdays. He says that’s … Continue reading →

47 thoughts on “Germy Shopping Carts – Aloha Friday”

I use the dog phrase often but not the horse one. Maybe dogs just look really bad when they are sick.

I think people go over board on wipes and such but the store we typically shop at has a dispenser of wipes by the entrance. I’ve used them on occasion. I went through half my life before I ever touch a wipe.

I’m a total germophobe and hate being sick as well. Most stores here have wipes available for carts, but I usually bring one in anyway, plus I have hand sanitizer in my purse. I always have the kids with me and I make them wipe off their hands every time we leave a store. I’m a bit of a nut, lol.

newest follower from the hop…LOVE your blog! Ewww those carts are super gross and YES, I wipe down but still feel that it didn’t quite do the job! Now that I know E.Coli is all over them, I’ll try and shop solo as MUCH as possible….soooo gross!

I have a super cute giveaway going on, stop on by my blogs if you have time!

No! I usually do not take the time to wipe down the cart. But, I am thinking I really should do so. I put mittens on my toddler when it was cold so when he gripped the cart he was covered then I could just throw them in the washing machine after. I tried the shopping cart covers but they were a pain for me. Anyway, I need to remember the wipes.

Hi! I hope you feel better soon! I most definitely wipe down the shopping carts, but thankfully the stores i shop at provide the wipes for you right where you pick up your carts. So I bring the purex hand sanitizer that is hooked to my key chain for both my son and me. Its a life saver…cost 80 cents at Biglots.

Anyway I am a new follower from the Social Parade and I’d love for you to follow back! Cute blog and love your blog title!

Yes I wipe down the carts. I get very mad if they run out of whips. I am thinking that it may not be a bad idea to actually take the thin little disposable rubber gloves with you when you shop. Ever since the flu last season I have been on top of the germs!!!

Most of the grocery stores in my area have wipes right by the carts so I always use those before shopping. I’ve become more lax lately though because I’m a bank teller and nothing is dirtier than money!

I wipe the carts down 99.9% of the time. Most of the stores I shop provide wipes near the carts for you to use. For the times when the store doesn’t have them, I carry hand sanitizer in my purse and wipes in my car.

My husband is borderline obsessive when it comes to wiping down the carts. I tend to forget, but I do have hand sanitizer in the car, so I guess that helps cancel out any germs picked up at the grocery…?

No, I don’t wipe them down, but after reading this maybe I should start. I have the same as you I think, but when I get sick I get one thing at a time. First comes being icky, then a cough, then a nose I have to chase, body aches & then fever. Can you believe it. Guess that’s why I’m always sick for so long. Now, I’ve finally got rid of the cough for the most part, but I’ve had this terrible sinus headache & they hurt & the grosses part I’m always having to spit. You know I found out that if you don’t that junks goes in your lungs & that’s how you get pneumonia. So, orange juice & chicken soup. And wiping down carts. Have a great weekend.

No I don’t – I should because it’s gross but the baby is always in the carrier and I never know where the other two are going to end up. We do wash with sanitizer when we leave or wash really good when we get home.

LOL, what a good read. Yes I certainly do try to clean shopping carts of all the funk that has got to be on them. Even with that, I find shopping a filthy undertaking. When I come home and wash my hands, they’re usually so dirty, it’s scary..

So glad our market offers little wipes before we touch the cart.. What really grosses me out is when mom’s allow their kids to suck/gnaw on the cart.. All that slobber and germs.. Yuck!!!!!
Love to you
KellyI’ve Become My MotherKelly’s IdeasAmazing Salvation

You have a point about both the sicker than a dog thing and the cart wipe-down. I’m also a sleeve person- I use my sleeves when I need to touch something. Yuck, I even wash my hands after I put stuff away.

I have no idea how I ever lived without wipes. I should have invented them because I used to soak napkins in alcohol..before wipes. Darn I could have been a zillionaire. Oh well; shopping carts are serious phobia for me. I usually wipe and cover my hands with my sleeve.
Thank you for stopping by i really appreciate your time!

I saw that about the shopping carts too…it was a discussion at our dinner table one night…(great conversations we have around here…lol). Anyways, I use to be just like you wiping them down when the kids were little…now it’s just me and no I don’t. I should! 🙂

if/when the store supplies wipes at the door near the carts, I DEFINITELY use them. I have a 2 yr old, so diapers & wipes are still in my bag regularly. I know those aren’t disinfecting, but its better than nothing. I do much better with carrying hand sanitizer, that is also thrown in my bag, & I use that the second I unload the cart!
ps. LOTS of fecal bacteria on those carts too. aren’t kids great?! 🙂

Hi Stacy, Thanks for stopping by my place…
you know I went to Punta Cana once a couple of years ago…I went by myself for 4 days and it was lovely…I had been given a round trip ticket to anywhere as an award and my husband did not want to pay so…off I went…I even swam with the dolphins…Good choice! i am yur newest follower…

I don’t. I think people are way too concerned with germs and obsessed with antibacterial products. I think it’s doing more harm than good. We need to be exposed to a few germs here and there to build up an immunity to them.

No, I do not wipe things down unless they are completely disgusting. Our natural immunity depends on being exposed to things. Don’t get me wrong, I do have wipes and things – but use them for times when it is more obvious.

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Stacy Swenson Johnson

After 20+ years in the Corporate World and years of
infertility, Stacy was surprised when Princess Nagger made her miraculous appearance
- deciding to
forgo the career and stay home was a no-brainer. As if her hands weren’t full
enough, 8 years later she and her husband added Little Dude through adoption,
adding a whole new dimension to their family and even more sleepless nights.

When she’s not refereeing kids, dogs and cats, she loves to write, hence the
reason she decided to start her little blog, and because she never got a baby
book to mark milestones, so this was the next best thing. She also enjoys doing reviews and giveaways for
products she or her family would willingly use and can stand behind.

She loves to cook and try new techniques to turn ordinary into extraordinary.
Crafty by nature, she takes on a lot of unique projects and enjoy seeing the end
result. Her favorite, of course, is making her award winning wine out of fruits
and grapes. Experiments with water currently underway.